daveq Posted December 22, 2003 Report Share Posted December 22, 2003 Why don't people ever use woods like mahagony, walnut, ... for fretboards? I was thinking about building a guitar using black limba and was wondering if using it for a fretboard would be interesting. I ran across a site that listed it as "neck stock only" - "not suitable for fretboards". They didn't say why it wasn't suitable but it got me thinking that other body / neck woods are not commonly used as fretboards either. Is it due to tone, sustain or something related to their acoustic properties or is it a structual thing, something else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob Posted December 22, 2003 Report Share Posted December 22, 2003 sorry if this seems like hijacking, but I've never seen a a mahogany neck with a maple fretboard either...hmmmm... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoads56 Posted December 22, 2003 Report Share Posted December 22, 2003 Most timbers are too soft for fretboards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeB Posted December 22, 2003 Report Share Posted December 22, 2003 the fret wood doesnt have to bee very hard, as maple is quite soft compared to some wood, however there is a certain toughness required i imigine, and perhaps density also.... mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuckguitarist Posted December 22, 2003 Report Share Posted December 22, 2003 I think westhemann is working on some mahagony fretboards... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Litchfield Custom Gutars Posted December 22, 2003 Report Share Posted December 22, 2003 Purpleheart is good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveq Posted December 22, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2003 Is the hardness required for holding the frets in, transferring vibration ? sorry if this seems like hijacking, but I've never seen a a mahogany neck with a maple fretboard either...hmmmm... Really? I'm pretty sure that it's fairly common - I think? I know PRS has at least one model like this. Maybe it's not as common as I thought? Anyway - I'm wondering why hardness would be an issue? Is it physical strength that is needed or does it have to do with the transmission of the sound? If a type of wood is OK for a neck then why not a fretboard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Litchfield Custom Gutars Posted December 22, 2003 Report Share Posted December 22, 2003 Softer wood wear more, and the frets need a harder wood to grab into. If the wood is too soft, the frets will literally fall out due to temp, humidity chandes. Aso, there's less than 1/4" of wood there. The truss rod would rip thru it when tightened if it the wood was not strong eniugh. The back wood has like 1/2" to deal with., and unless you use a double expading truss rod, there is no stress form the truss rod on it. Hope that made sense, I am so freakin tired! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveq Posted December 22, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2003 Hope that made sense, I am so freakin tired! So am I, I feel like I'm going to friggin puke, I'm so beat. Thanks for the info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted December 22, 2003 Report Share Posted December 22, 2003 Purpleheart is good it's the goodest!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryeisnotcool2 Posted December 22, 2003 Report Share Posted December 22, 2003 Wenge is nice to!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted December 22, 2003 Report Share Posted December 22, 2003 umm..well my idea with the mahogany boards is to impregnate it with hardener and finish clear over it.it is just a trial kind of thing...it will be a while before i get around to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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